Business robbed at gunpoint

Monday

Dec 22, 2008 at 1:58 PMDec 22, 2008 at 2:00 PM

BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE • The female manager of Advance America in the Vons shopping center on Hesperia and Bear Valley roads reported that a well-dressed man entered the business at about 9:40 a.m. and asked for a loan application, said Karen Hunt, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Victorville station.

When the manager looked up, she saw the man was pointing a handgun at her and he ordered her to open the safe, officials said.

The robber forced the woman to hand over an undisclosed amount of money from the safe, then ordered her to the front of the store where he told her to give him the money from the cash drawers, Hunt said.

The man then told the woman to get on her knees, to not look at him and to count to 100, officials said.

The robber left in an unknown direction.

"The witness was not able to see what kind of vehicle the suspect fled in or if he maybe even fled on foot," Hunt said.

Witnesses at neighboring businesses said they noticed two black men, one of whom seemed to match the description of the robber, hanging around the parking lot of the business before the robbery took place, officials said.

Investigators ask anyone with information about the crime to call the Victorville station at 241-2911 or WeTip at (800) 78-CRIME. WeTip informants may be eligible for up to $1,000 reward if their information leads to an arrest and conviction.

Beatriz E. Valenzuela can be reached at 951-6276 or at BValenzuela@VVDailyPress.com.

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